Doused in Disney: Effects of this Media Giant’s Impact on Society
Here is a test: Quickly think of five different animated Disney movies off the top of your head.
The ones I thought of were The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and the Aristocats.
Easy, right? For many people in our society, naming five Disney movies may very well be easier than naming the Secretary General of the United Nations or the Secretary of Defense of the United States. This might be shocking to some, but think about it. The “Disney Culture” we are immersed in today has actually had a profound effect on our lives probably since the time we were born.
When you’re five and you’re watching a movie about toys coming to life and playing when their owner isn’t home, you’re just thinking of fun and how much you wish your toys could do that. I would bet that most five year olds probably aren’t analyzing central themes and trying to interpret buried meanings while watching these movies; I know I certainly wasn’t. Now that I’m older, however, I am able to more deeply analyze the worth a movie beyond “Cool mom! Arial turned into a human!”
So what exactly are some impacts that the Disney Culture has had on our society? Some people criticize Disney for giving children unrealistic views of the “real world,” such as the idea that if you’re a girl, one day your Prince Charming is going to swoop in on a white horse and you’ll both ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after together. Ha. Ha. HA. Anyone who has ever had their heart broken knows that is not the way it works! Relationships take work, not just a shiny suit of armor and a sturdy steed! (Although, if any guys want to pick me up on a horse one day instead of in a car, I’d see no reason to object…)
But just because Disney may set some unrealistic standards up in young children’s minds, in my opinion, this does not necessarily make the Disney Culture a bad thing. My friends and I watched Pocahontas this weekend, and one of the things I was amazed at was all of the meaning and profoundness embedded within the movie. Would the critics like to tell me that displaying the acceptance of differences, the importance of love and friendship, and the power of following your heart are bad things? Because if they would, I would simply laugh and shrug them off.
Disney may have some negative impacts on our culture. And sure, it’s a monopolizing structure in our society, but I’m not going to lie – I love my Disney. When I was little, Disney movies provided a way for me and my siblings and my parents to bond. The movies appeal to all ages, and they have proved their timelessness by staying ahead of their time while remaining true to the roots they were founded on.
What are your thoughts on the Disney Culture? Do you think Disney has a negative or a positive effect on today’s society? Feel free to sound off in the “Comments” section below. I appreciate your responses and look forward to what everyone has to say!
To continue researching Disney’s effects on society, check out this video:
